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As a new governor and Legislature took office at the state Capitol last year, both lobbyist registrations and overall related spending hit record highs in Louisiana, a state that elevates politics as a sport and a profession.
The supporting data, compiled by the Ethics Administration, covers executive, legislative and local government filings, but the growth area can definitely be found among those seeking influence over the House and Senate.
During calendar year 2024, total lobbying expenditures reached nearly $670,000, a new state record, with most, about $568,000, going toward legislative lobbying.
Registrations followed the same trend line, with 728 lobbyists signing up with the Ethics Administration in 2024, marking a 10-year high.
How much the growth seen over the past two decades reflects actual growth of the lobbying sector is debatable. The spending totals in particular have a lot to do with inflation, since the spending limits are indexed.
But looking back even further, the overall trend of a larger, savvier lobbying corps is unmissable, even if the core group at the state Capitol remains mostly made up of familiar faces.
